FATHER BENEDICT DELEON'S FEAST DAY IS FATHER PIUS AMAH'S BIRTHDAY............

St. Benedict, who lived in the late 5th to mid 6th Century, of Catholic-Christianity, (480-547 A.D.) was born in Nursia, Italy and as a young man studied in Rome, before going to Subiaco, and becoming a monk.  In 525, a jealousy of some kind in the monastery, caused him to depart for Monte Cassino, near Naples, where he founded a monastery, that has become universally renowned.  Benedict went on to author a Rule, popularly known as the, "Rule of St. Benedict", that is one of the master works of Christian sprituality.  A short, simple, theological, compendium of teachings, it was the first booklet I read as a newly arrived seminarian at St. Kieran's College in Kilkenny, Ireland on September 13, 1982, as there was a copy of the, Rule of St. Benedict, was in the desk drawer of my room in Burrell's Home, as I moved in that evening; so with neophyte eagerness, I read it.  It struck me as a very welcome spiritual chord, as a beginning to the opening of my first night in the seminary.  That personal feeling had even greater significance I was as yet unaware of.  St. Benedict of Nursia, is not only the Patriarch of Western Monasticism, but the Patron Saint of the Continent of Europe and of Students.  Cardinal Karl Rattzinger, in taking the name Benedict, upon his election as Pope on April 19, 2005, did so in part, to focus his Papacy on the necessity to re-Evangelize, Europe to Christianity, in the contemporary World.  Reverend Father Benedict DeLeon, who like myself, was born and baptized in St. Rose's Parish, in South Sacramento; who is also a native born, locally grown priestly vocation of the Sacramento Diocese; and was my Vocations Director when I became a seminarian for Sacramento, in the early -mid 1980's; has St. Benedict, as his patron saint.  Father Benedict, began his second year as Pastor of St. Theresa's Parish, in South Lake Tahioe, ten days ago.  Reverend Pius Amah, a native of Nigeria, who is presently assigned as Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, ministering with and assisting me, in serving these families; today celebrates his Birthday.  His father chose not to follow the Nigerian tradition to name him for the saint of the day of his birth, (Benedict)  but for the sitting Pope, Pius XII.  Either way, Fr. Pius bears a papal name.  Happy Feast Day, Fr. Benedict DeLeon; and Happy Birthday Fr. Pius Amah; as we celebrate one of Saints of the Church, who made a concrete contribution to the structure and spirituality, of Catholic-Christianity, In The History of the World...........Fr.  Troy